Monday, February 02, 2009

A few inches of global warming …

… and the whole country comes to a standstill. According to The Daily Telegraph, more than six million people have been forced to stay at home. Thousands of airline passengers have been stranded after almost 1ft of snow fell in some parts. And a second mass of freezing clouds moving up from France is expected to bring further wintry storms.

Parts of Northumberland and North Yorkshire could be left with 16 ins of snow by Tuesday while the rest of the country will have up to 1ft. Snow is forecast across the country until Friday, although the flurries will become less severe and turn to sleet as the week draws to a close.

With at least 2,000 schools closed and rail, road and air transport paralysed the disruption is expected to cost the economy £1.2 billion. Airlines alone could face a £10 million bill from cancelled flights.

Strangely, there is not a single mention of global warming. Yet, as I recall, when we had a cold, wet summer, the hacks were all over it, retailing claims that "European monsoon may become an increasingly noticeable summer event in future years because of global warming."